A 12-year-old boy from Colorado will likely die after attempting the “Blackout Challenge” as seen on TikTok. The challenge dares people to choke themselves until they lost consciousness.
Joshua Haileyesus is a twin and it was his brother who found him on March 22, unconscious on the bathroom floor. He tried to resuscitate him until neighbors and the ambulance arrived.
On a GoFundMe page for the boy, a family member says the game has been around for years. It's sometimes known as the "Passout Challenge", "The Game of Choking", "Speed Dreaming" or "The Fainting Game", but it's currently gaining viral traction on TikTok.
The GoFundMe describes Joshua as "compassionate" "He would pray for people who were sick, stand up for others who were bullied at school."
His father calls him a fighter. "I can see him fighting. I’m praying for him every day,” Joshua’s father, Haileyesus Zeryihun told KCNC. “It’s just heartbreaking to see him laying on the bed.”
The 12-year-old’s condition is dire. Doctors have reportedly told his family that he’s brain dead and will not survive.
“I was begging them on the floor, pleading to see if they can give me some time, not to give up on him. If I just give up on him, I feel like I’m just walking away from my son,” Zeryihun said.
Joshua’s father tells KCNC that in the days before his son was discovered, he’d been bragging about how he could hold his breath. The family hope’s their story is a cautionary tale for others kids.
“I’m paying the price right now. I’m living the life, and I hate for other parents to go through this,” Zeryihun says.